Multiple neuronal networks mediate sustained attention
Citation:
Lawrence NS, Ross TJ, Hoffmann R, Garavan H, Stein EA `Multiple neuronal networks mediate sustained attention? in Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15, (7), 2003, pp 1028 - 1038Download Item:
Lawrence JoCN03.pdf (published (publisher copy) peer-reviewed) 468.4Kb
Abstract:
& Sustained attention def icits occur i n several neuropsychi-
atric di sorders. However, the underlying neurobiol ogical
mechani sms are stil l i ncompletely understood. To that end,
f unctional MRI was used to investi gate the neural substrates
of sustained attention (vigil ance) usi ng the rapid vi sual
i nformation processi ng (RVIP) task in 25 healthy vol unteers.
In order to better understand the neural networks under-
l yi ng attentional abil ities, brai n regions where task-induced
acti vati on correlated wi th task perf ormance were i denti fi ed.
Perf ormance of the RVIP task activated a network of frontal,
parietal, occipital, thal amic, and cerebell ar regi ons. Deacti va-
ti on during task perf ormance was seen in the anterior and
posteri or ci ngul ate, i nsul a, and the l ef t temporal and
parahippocampal gyrus. Good task performance, as def ined
by better detection of target stimul i, was correl ated with
enhanced acti vati on i n predomi nantly right fronto-parietal
regi ons and with decreased activation in predominantl y lef t
temporo-l imbi c and cingulate areas. Factor analysi s revealed
that these performance-correlated regions were grouped i nto
two separate networks compri sed of positively acti vated and
negatively activated i ntercorrelated regi ons. Poor perf ormers
f ail ed to signif icantly acti vate or deactivate these networks,
whereas good performers either acti vated the positi ve or
deactivated the negative network, or did both. The f act that
both increased activation of task-specifi c areas and increased
deactivati on of task- irrelevant areas mediate cogniti ve f unc-
ti ons underlying good RVIP task perf ormance suggests two
i ndependent circuits, presumably ref lecting diff erent cogni -
ti ve strategi es, can be recruited to perform this vigilance
task.
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http://people.tcd.ie/garavanhDescription:
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Author: GARAVAN, HUGH PATRICK
Publisher:
MIT PressType of material:
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Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience15
7
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